This application relates to a face-balanced putter with an offset hosel, and, more particularly, to such a putter which permts topline alignment.
Face-balanced putters are well known and have been available for many years. Such putters are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,290,035, 5,226,654, 5,078,398, 4,852,879, 3,954,265, 2,820,638, and Des. 221,446. In a face-balanced putter the axis of the shaft intersects the center of gravity of the putter head or intersects a line which extends through the center of gravity perpendicularly to the face.
A desirable objective in designing a putter, whether face-balanced or not, is to allow top line alignment. The top line of the putter, i.e., the upper edge of the face, should be square or perpendicular to the intended line of the putt. It is therefore desirable, in designing a putter, to allow the golfer to view as much of the top line as possible when addressing the ball, particularly the portion of the top line which is behind the golf ball.
Another well known type of putter is an offset hosel putter. Such putters are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,226,654, 4,948,140, 4,852,879, 4,832,340, 4,693,478, 4,265,452, 3,954,265, 3,923,308, and Des. 221,446. In a putter with an offset hosel the shaft is positioned forwardly of the face, i.e., an extension of the centerline of the shaft would not intersect the putter head and would pass forwardly of the face of the putter.
Because an offset hosel extends forwardly of the top line of the putter, the hosel of most offset hosel putters is connected to the putter head close to the heel end of the putter head so that the top line behind the holf ball is visible to the golfer at address. As a result, the centerline of the shaft does not intersect a line which extends through the center of gravity perpendicularly to the face.
Because the shaft of most face-balanced putters is positioned farther away from the heel than the shaft of most non-face-balanced putters, many face-balanced puttes do not use an offset hosel so that the top line behind the ball is not obstructed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,398 states:
"In the preferred embodiment, the position and alignment of the hosel barrel 34 and the hosel stem 32, relative to the putter head body portion 28, are such that the putter 20 has a slight onset-type design. That is, it is one where the putter's leading edge (face 42 ) is in front of the hosel 30 and shaft 22 (See FIGS. 4, 5, 6, and 9). Thus, the advantages provided by the present invention's putter (i.e., allowing the putter to be infinitely balanced coupled with a high moment of inertia) are achieved without having the putter's shaft and hosel obstructing the view of the striking face and the ball at address and ball impact positions." (col. 7, lines 25-36)
Prior face-balanced putters with an offset hosel do not permit optimum top line alignment because the hosel is positioned too far from the heel and obstructs a portion of the top line behind the ball. This can be seen, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,226,654, 4,852,879, and Des. 221,446.